Their secret was kept, the garden was theirs
by Alicia Mirza
Summary: A lonely day at Hogwarts turned into something entirely different, when James stumbled upon the Garden of Emotions, a secret piece of Paradise made by the Founders to help their students sorting out their feelings. But someone else has already known about the park, someone who needed the magic of it too. Lily, James and a magical garden; what else do we need for a romantic oneshot?


_**This one-shot was written **__**for: **__**Uni Shall Not Sink's Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry!**_

**_Herbology:_**

Mandatory Prompt: Write a story that revolves around a park with lots of different plants and flowers.

Optional Prompts: sheet, thistle, empire, ego, lentil, book, railway, emerald, newspaper, relative, paranoia, pocket, torture (13)

**_Charms:_**

Mandatory Prompt: Write a story using three or more charms. (_Lumos, Alohomora,_ _Homenum Revelio)_

Optional prompts: ashes, plastic bag, pumpkin, scarf, stew, white, knitting, poem, sky, egg, practice (11)

_Wordcount: 2883 words_

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_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter series, all rights go to J.K. Rowling.**_

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_Their secret was kept, the garden was theirs..._

His steps seemed too loud for his liking. He wanted to get away; he didn't want everyone to know where he was. Though, he had to admit the grounds were completely empty, around him he couldn't catch the sight of anybody.

However, he learned many years ago that not seeing something and that something not existing didn't mean the same thing. He himself was good at being invisible too as well.

Everything looked different now that white snow covered the grounds. In the wintery light Hogwarts seemed to glow. It was beautiful, but at the same time he shivered, he wasn't in the mood for snowy winter wonderland castles.

He stopped.

He looked around, but nothing was out of place if not the missing students, but nearly all of them were at home around the fireplace celebrating the beautiful holiday of Christmas, just like he did only a year ago.

He closed his eyes and felt as a tear ran down on his face. He wasn't the type to cry, he was a grownup man after all, but Christmas was a family holiday and surely he could miss his parents that day.

Crying wasn't a good idea when it was so chilly outside he decided. He was cursing under his breath for being stupid and leaving his red-gold scarf in the castle. Just when he opened his eyes noticed he that something was off. A path was twisting in front of him like a railway. Snow didn't cover the little route; instead there were many flowers and plants on its sides which should have long ago freeze. He saw thistles, pumpkins, big and they had a healthy orange colour and some strange plant, was it maybe lentil? He didn't even know these things grew around each other let alone in winter when it was so damn cold that being outside felt like torture.

The strangest was though, that he couldn't see where the path headed. However, he was a Marauder, a Gryffindor. He was known for getting into trouble and being stupid, so he didn't care, he just started walking. The ground around him started to become foggy. He couldn't see the notorious castle with its sky reaching towers, but he continued walking even though he still didn't know where he was going. He tried the wand-lighting charm, muttering _Lumos_ under his breath, but even with the light of the wand the World around him was misty.

He stopped once again for a moment and closed his eyes just to take a deep breath, but when he opened his eyes he wasn't on the strange route anymore. No, he was standing just outside of a pretty wrought iron fence and inside there were millions of blooming flowers and plants.

He tried to open the gate with force, but then he remembered that his wand was still in his pocket. With a simple unlocking spell, muttering _Alohomora_ he opened the gate and stepped inside the garden.

He wished he had countless eyes, because the sight was unbelievable. He was pretty good in Herbology, but he couldn't name at least half of the plants, he wasn't even sure if he ever saw them.

The temperature was so mild that he had to take off his coat; it was like late spring has already reached this part of the World, wherever he was.

_Wherever he was_. He was certainly impressed by the place, it seemed so beautiful and enchanting, but the war has started out there already and that made him cautious. All those things he has already read in newspapers... He was afraid to read the sheets of paper every morning.

"_Homenum Revelio_," he muttered the incantation of the charm which revealed human presences in the surrounding environment. He stopped dead, he wasn't alone. He looked around only to meet a pair of emerald eyes in the distance.

"Merlin! What are you doing here, Potter?!" He lowered his wand when he realized who else was there. Only one person in the whole World could scream and shout with him like that and still make his heart beat faster.

Still as he closed the space between them the paranoia caused by brewing war didn't let him fully relax. Only when he reached the girl in her usual Hogwarts outfit and Potions book in her hands looking at him angrily did he felt better. No one else could look so furious and cute at the same time.

"How did you get here?" Her voice was shaky. He was pretty sure that she wasn't happy with him.

"Where is here?" he asked as once again he looked around in the summer-like garden."Are we still in Hogwarts?" She looked at him as if he was stupid.

"Of course we are. I thought that you of all people, a Marauder would know that the Founders were tricky and they had their secrets. I guess not even Dumbledore knows all the secrets of Hogwarts." she told him like they were in a class and she was his professor. He took a step even closer to her and she shot him a 'Go-to-Hell-before-I-make-you-go-there' type of look.

"How long have you been here? Have you ever been here before? Where are we? How can we get back to the castle?" He would have continued with his questions if she didn't stop him with putting her hand on his mouth.

"Shut up, Potter! You annoy me," she answered and she pulled away, only to be stopped by his hand reaching out.

"Just answer me, Lily-flower." Her reaction to that nickname wasn't a kind one, but a small smile appeared on her lips.

"Oh, poor Jamsie doesn't know something. We are in no danger. This is just a place which was made by the Founders. If I'm right this might be the result of Hufflepuff's work, I found a poem which indicates it. I think she just made this place to have somewhere to... get away, I guess. We are still in the grounds of Hogwarts, though I don't think anyone besides us knows about this place," she answered truthfully, but got away from him.

"Jamsie, really Lils?" he asked with a grin and she scowled.

"That was the only thing you understood or even heard from what I said?" she asked challengingly, but he just shook his head with a sad smile on his face which seemed to surprise her.

"No, of course not. What do you mean by getting away?" he asked softly and she seemed to study his faraway look for a few moments.

"I found this place in our second year... It was right after we came back from Christmas holiday. My Mom... she has just died, you know and... well, Christmas wasn't the same without her and my sister... Sorry, I know that you aren't interested in the stupid things I'm saying," she stated and slowly brushed his hand against her porcelain-like cheeks. She pretty much literally stopped breathing.

"You are stupid, Lily Evans. Of course I'm interested in everything you say. It's my first Christmas without my parents. It was only the three of us at first and then Sirius joined in. It was my favourite holiday you know," he told her softly. Their eyes met and none of them broke the contact until she suddenly turned her head and took a step back.

"I-I should go," she said hurriedly and he watched as she started packing up her things. He saw her books, a plastic bag and was that a knitting needle?

"Wait, Lily. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I just... I think you were right. While I was walking on the grounds of the castle I actually wanted to get away, I wanted to be myself where no one can find me," he said and she nodded.

"Then I really should go, you wanted to be left alone after all," she told him, but he stepped in front of her.

"No, you shouldn't. I thought that I wanted to be left alone, but I now know that I just needed the right company." She looked at him with a strange look.

"The right company, James? It's really great for my ego, so thanks, but we both know that I'm not the person you need. You should just find Black or even Remus." However he didn't make a move, he just stood in front of her and she sighed.

"Sirius, he hates his family and while he liked my parents... Well, he doesn't really know what it's like to lose them. Remus, he still has his parents and there... he is the one pulls away, because he feels guilty of being what he is. He wouldn't understand me either. You on the other hand, you understand me, Lils." His voice was full of trust and dedication; she found that he actually believed what he was saying.

"I-I still don't think I should be here." Her voice was so low, he could hardly understand.

"I want you here," he stated and she smiled softly, even though it was a slightly shy smile, like she still needed some practice. "I love Hogwarts you know, but Christmas here... it's not the same as at home." She looked down on the ground, not meeting his eyes.

"I know what you mean. The whole thing is different here. I miss the special egg salad and stew my Dad always makes, the loud voices of one relative and another. Even the fire in the fireplaces seems different, the flames aren't so bright and the ashes aren't so silvery. It's stupid, I know," she said and let out a low chuckle, but he shook his head.

"It's not stupid at all. Why aren't you at home? Your Dad... He is still alive, isn't he?" he asked and those emerald green eyes he loved so much seemed empty, hollow.

"My sister hates me. Her fiancé hates me even more. It's not the same anymore. I wanted to be with my Dad, but I know he would hate seeing Tuney and me fighting. So, I stayed here instead, it's better for him this way. He is a bit sad that I'm not at home, but he will have a lovely holiday and he will think that I did too with my friends," she said lifelessly and he hated to see her like that.

"I'm sorry, Lils," he stated and she nodded.

"How many times have you been here?" he asked and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Every time I wanted to be alone, to have some privacy. It's the perfect place to relax and think. It's beautiful and full of life all year long. It's my little piece of paradise," she told him and he frowned.

"Sorry for coming here... I-I ruined the purpose of this place for you," he said, but she shook her head.

"It's not like you knew or that you could even know. Plus, I have to admit, that it doesn't feel bad sharing it with someone. I always felt bad for keeping to myself." He didn't answer; he just took one of her hands and traced small circles on it. He was surprised that she didn't pull away, she was just staring at him like it was the first time she saw him.

"We have been talking normally with each other and you haven't shouted with me for minutes. It must be the magic of this garden," he said jokingly and she chuckled.

"You are behaving entirely different now then you usually do. You aren't childish, stupid and annoying. Yeah, it must be the magic of this place," she agreed and he pouted.

"I'm never childish!" he spoke up, but she just rolled her eyes.

"Never," she agreed sarcastically. "Actually you have changed a lot, you know. Ever since the beginning of the year... you aren't a prat anymore. Merlin, I will regret saying it, but you are pretty good in the whole Head Boy business," she confessed and he grinned.

"Pretty good, huh? I knew it!" he said with a triumphal smile and she just laughed.

"I think you have grown up, James Potter," she said and he let go of her hand, instead he cupped her face and looked in her oh-so-beautiful green eyes.

"Well, you know, I think you worth growing up," he said seriously and then he moved away from her with a sly smile on his face. She stood at the same place like a statue.

"I thought that you are over me," she said softly and he shrugged. He leaned closer to her ear like he wanted to tell her a secret.

"No one who has ever fallen for someone like you can get over it so quickly, or ever for that matter," he stated and she let out a shaky sigh. She turned towards him watching as he ran his hand through his hair making it even more untamed if it was possible.

"You haven't asked me out since we started school this year." He didn't react for a few seconds, but then he fixed his hazel eyes on hers.

"It's not like you would have ever said yes. I've asked it at least six hundred times," he said and she nodded.

"You are right I guess. I wouldn't have said yes even though I realized that you have changed recently," she told him and a bit of disappointment could be seen on his face. She took a step closer to him and they faced each other.

"I like you Lily. Maybe you will never understand that, but you have to know it. I have liked you, Merlin, _loved_ you for many years. Seeing you dating those bastards was so hard for me. Taylor, Lils, really? He loves himself so much he can't possible like anyone other," he snorted and a small smile was playing on her lips.

"And you say that? You have an ego big enough for an entire empire," she said jokingly and he chuckled.

"I still can't stop thinking about you," he told her simply and she half expected a stupid declaration of his love, but he remained silent and he seemed completely solemn. "Sorry, maybe there is some Veritaserum in the air of this place, I can't stop saying things which make you uncomfortable," he apologized, but she just shook her head.

"I just wish you wouldn't stop being like this the moment we leave this place," she said and he looked at her curiously.

"What do you mean?" he asked her and she smiled softly. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his without a second thought. He froze and before he could react she pulled away.

"Yes, it's certainly the magic of the garden," she concluded, but he shook his head.

"You think that after this I would ever let things go back to how they were before this?" he asked her like she was being stupid.

"I don't think I understand you." However, instead of explaining what he meant he cupped her face and kissed her softly, only letting her go when neither of them had enough oxygen left.

"I think I've realized the magic of this garden," he said and she raised her eyebrows. "It doesn't change us as you seem to think. It helps us dealing with our feelings. That's why you can only find it when you need to get away, when you need to sort out your emotions." She looked at him thoughtfully.

"_Hortus affectuum_... Of course, Garden of Emotions," she let out a chuckle.

"It doesn't change anything, Lils. Even if we leave this little piece of paradise I will still like you. It just... it doesn't only help in dealing with sadness and agony, it helps with every type of emotions. Here, here everything just seems easier. What I could have never told you outside, because I would have screwed it up, just slipped my mouth here and you didn't curse me," he told her, but she just looked away.

"It would never work, if we can only speak with each other normally in an enchanted garden," she told him, but he wouldn't let her break their not-even-existing-yet relationship.

"Why Lily? This garden is ours, our secret and maybe our way to happiness. Neither of us is very good in dealing with emotions, but that doesn't mean that we don't deserve happiness."

"So, you say that dating would lead us to happiness? We want to murder each other two times a day, James." He just chuckled.

"And we are still here. I love you, Lily Evans; get over it and the kisses we shared here... I won't let you now pull away, be prepared," he told her and she smiled.

"Is that a promise or a threat, Potter?" she asked with a grin and he laughed.

"Both, Evans. Give me one chance and I swear I won't screw it up, if I do, well, you can actually murder me," he asked and she rolled her eyes.

"One chance, Potter and you should hope that you won't behave like a jerk," she said and he pulled her closer.

"That's my Evans." She slapped him, but then he kissed her.

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**Author's note: Hey! This turned out a bit strangely in my opinion, it was the type of story which has written itself, so sorry if it was a bit messed up, when I started I wanted something entirely different... But Lily and James had other ideas. It might be very OOC, but I'm not sure.**


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